Technical guidelines for the application of seasonal influenza vaccine in China (2014-2015).

Influenza, caused by the influenza virus, is a respiratory infectious disease that can severely affect human health. Influenza viruses undergo frequent antigenic changes, thus could spread quickly. Influenza causes seasonal epidemics and outbreaks in public gatherings such as schools, kindergartens, and nursing homes. Certain populations are at risk for severe illness from influenza, including pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and people in any ages with certain chronic diseases.

Genome-wide screen of DNA methylation identifies novel markers in childhood obesity.

Epigenetic modifications have been highlighted in chronic non-communicable diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate genome-wide DNA methylation for the identification of methylation markers in obesity. With obese Chinese preschool children, we performed comprehensive DNA methylation profiling of gene promoters and CpG islands to determine the differentially methylated genes using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation followed by hybridization to the NimbleGen Human DNA Methylation 385K Promoter Plus CpG Island Microarray. We found that compared to lean children, 251 promoters and 575 CGIs were demethylated, and 141 promoters and 277 CGIs were hypermethylated in obese children, and their distribution on chromosomes was imbalanced, showing more promoters and CGIs with demethylation on chromosomes 3, 16, 17 and 19 and more differentially methylated promoters and CGIs on chromosome X compared with chromosome Y. Further analysis indicated that aberrant methylations occurred mostly in HCP promoters and promoter CGIs. Among the top 80 promoters and CGIs that had differentiated methylation between obese and lean children, nearly half have been previously studied, and almost all of them are involved in the pathogenesis of cancers that are associated with many organs. Furthermore, four genes (FZD7, PRLHR, EXOSC4, and EIF6) with differential promoter methylation were validated, and their associations with obesity must be clarified. In conclusion, this study represents the first effort to determine methylation markers in obese Chinese children, which has potential relevance for identifying markers that are useful in elucidating the mechanisms of obesity pathogenesis and its complications.

A randomized, controlled, blinded study of the safety and immunogenicity of Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine injected at different intramuscular sites in Chinese infants.

To compare the safety and immunogenicity of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine administered via the vastus lateralis and deltoid muscles, 320 healthy Chinese infants<12 mo of age were enrolled in a randomized, controlled, blinded study and divided into 2 age groups: 2-5 mo and 6-12 mo. Each age group was then randomized (1:1) to either the vastus lateralis (experimental) group who received Hib vaccination into this muscle 2 or 3 times at monthly intervals, or the deltoid (control) group who received Hib vaccination into this muscle either 3 times (2-5 mo group) or twice (6-12 mo group) at monthly intervals. Local and systemic adverse reactions after each vaccine dose were recorded, and Hib-PRP antibody concentrations were determined by ELISA at 28 d after completion of the immunization schedule. There were no significant differences in the proportions of subjects with post-immunization Hib-PRP antibody concentrations ≥1.0 µg/mL or ≥0.15 µg/mL with the two injection sites for either age group, or in the post-immunization Hib-PRP antibody concentrations achieved (P>0.05). In addition, there were no significant differences in the rates of local and systemic reactions after the first and second vaccinations between the 2 injection sites for either age group (P>0.05), but the rate of systemic reactions in the 2-5 mo group after the third vaccination via the vastus lateralis muscle was significantly lower than after deltoid vaccination (0% vs 8.57%; P<0.05). Thus, administration via the vastus lateralis muscle is worth considering for Hib vaccination.